Its that time again! Working Christmas???
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Soooo...I worked Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. I have both off this year:p Our ER has tried really hard to be fair in who works what. Usually the newest staff work Christmas. That means... Read More

I'm relatively new to my hospital (6 mos) but I was still asked, along with everyone else, for my preference. I asked for TG because we wanted to go to NC to see the in-laws who moved and are lonely for their family. Told them I really didn't care much about Xmas and New Years because I work nights anyway. Got TG with no problem, working Xmas eve and Xmas night - and may or may not work NY - that one isn't out yet. Honestly, though, DH and I don't go out NY anyway, just kinda ring in the NY relaxing (assuming we're awake LOL). So that one's no biggie either. My family has always understood that the DAY you celebrate the holiday isn't really important - it's the fact that you DO gather to celebrate the holiday that makes it all worth it.

That's how I kind of feel too. I'm a really new nurse actually. Only worked for about a month. We had those holiday requests also. My first choice to get off was Thanksgiving and that was granted. I got three days off for that. Really don't mind working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day though. Christmas really is not super special to my family. It's just one meal and that's it. I was incredibly bored last year Christmas day. Nothing good was on tv, stores and shops were closed, and it was raining outside. At least when I work Christmas, I'm helping out the hospital and patients. And the census for Christmas tends to be lower. Oh and my co-workers have said that during christmas, the unit also throws a potluck.

I worked the last two years on thanksgiving, christmas, and new year's eve. My husband was overseas in the military at the time. This year, I have an office job (8-5) so I'll be off, and he's doing shift work- scheduled for all three holidays. So what? We're together! He's not halfway around the world and in danger. We care a LOT more about actually being together than the date on the calendar.

Nov 18, '06

Joined: Sep '06; Posts: 91; Likes: 1

OK, as a mother of an 8,6 and 4 year old, I would just like to say I can't stand the "but I have little kids" tantrum. I would never be so obnoxious as to think someone without children does not deserve to enjoy the holiday as much as I do.

What we have done in the past when we have needed to work Christmas (my husband works holidays, too) is write a letter to Santa Claus explaining that mommy or daddy has to work on Christmas, and could he please come to our house the morning before Christmas. (We don't say after because we wouldn't want to make them wait that long!) Santa has always managed to come on whatever day we needed him to and we never lost out on a great time! (One time Santa even came on Christmas eve afternoon while we were out!

I like the way my unit does it. We have a holiday rotation. When you are hired you are assigned to one group or the other, which ever is less people. One group works Xmas, Memorial day, 4th of July. The other works Thanksgiving, Labor day and New Years. Then at the end of the year you switch and work the other holidays the next year. If we have too many people schedule for the day the decision of who gets it off is based on senority. I really have no problem with it. It's fair. It keeps people from throwing tizzy fits. You know up front that you will be working.
~Jen

At my hospital, anyone whose part-time or full-time has to work every other holiday and every other weekend. Last year worked out well because Christmas and New Years were two weekends in a row, so which ever was your weekend to work, you worked, no arguments. This year they posted sign-up sheets in the staff lounge and had people put their names on the list if they wanted off for christmas or new years. Pretty much first come, first serve from there, plus seniority counts too. Sure its not fair that some of us have to give up thanksgiving or christmas to work, but just think about the patients that we're taking care of. These paitents have no choice, they have to be in the hospital, away from their friends and family, woken up at all hours of the day and night, yet we rarely hear them complain about it (at least i haven't). I think we can give up one or two holidays to help take care of our sick patients because at the end of our shift, we get to go home to our family and they (the patients) have to stay at the hospital. Try to remember why we all became nurses, giving up one or two holidays is not the end of the world.

P.S. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

very well put. i work in an ambulatory center now and no weekends or holidays, but i can remember when i worked those days...and it seemed like those were always the best days to work...as the census was down and everyone was in a great, happy and celebratory mood.

What we have done in the past when we have needed to work Christmas (my husband works holidays, too) is write a letter to Santa Claus explaining that mommy or daddy has to work on Christmas, and could he please come to our house the morning before Christmas. (We don't say after because we wouldn't want to make them wait that long!) Santa has always managed to come on whatever day we needed him to and we never lost out on a great time! (One time Santa even came on Christmas eve afternoon while we were out!

What we have done in the past when we have needed to work Christmas (my husband works holidays, too) is write a letter to Santa Claus explaining that mommy or daddy has to work on Christmas, and could he please come to our house the morning before Christmas. (We don't say after because we wouldn't want to make them wait that long!) Santa has always managed to come on whatever day we needed him to and we never lost out on a great time! (One time Santa even came on Christmas eve afternoon while we were out!

Ohmygosh, I love that idea!!! I think we'll use that when Juniorette is older. Thank you for the idea, Solidarity, you win the Mommy of the Year award!!!

I think being upset over working a holiday is so silly. There are a million compromises you could make.

For one, if you work 7-3, you will get off at 3:00 and you still have the rest of the day. If you work 3-11, open presents, have christmas breakfast and lunch. Yeah it will suck leaving, but you'll be back at 11:00 or 12:00.

If you work 12 hours, then it really does stink to try and do something that day, so celebrate Christmas another day. The kids get a week or two off, so what difference does it make? You can take advantage of after Christmas sales too. Your kids will be proud of you for taking care of others when they are sick on a holiday.

Having to go out of town may be a problem too, but sometimes family may have to come and be waiting for you.

Have your spouse and kids meet you in the breakroom with Christmas dinner if necessary.

In any case, I really don't see the big deal about holidays. They are what you make them. They aren't about presents, they are about time spent and it doesn't matter what day that falls on.

Look, you could be that poor patient who had a MI on Christmas.

Remember, it could ALWAYS be worse.

Nov 18, '06

Joined: Sep '05; Posts: 1,277; Likes: 359

I get Xmas off this year!!:roll It was part of my 'pre-employment' agreement with the new place I'm going to be working at - my oldest son and his family are coming back from Virginia, so the whole family will be together.

We actually celebrate, now that all the boys are married, on Xmas eve. And that will actually be on my weekend off anyhow.

I worked for years when my kids were young, and it never got to be a problem at Christmas - sometimes we had to switch things a little, and a few times they had to be patient until Mom got home from work, but it seems like it always worked out.

This year in our unit was difficult. Here is the scoop. Two nurses were hired at exactly the same time. The Christmas shift was filled by nurses who volunteered to work except for one slot. So, our poor director had to choose one nurse to work. The first new nurse has "little kids" ages 2 and 3. The second new nurse has a husband who has been in Iraq for the past two Christmases and a new grandchild to see. The first nurse (with "little kids") was scheduled for Christmas. ohmyholycow...She pitched a FIT. Crying and throwing things in the break room about how "she has little kids" It was a scene. She went down the schedule and realized that many of us have both holidays off and really went crazy.

Anyhow...What do you think was "fair" She managed to throw enough of a hissy fit that our director posted the position as "open" and another nurse actually wanted to trade for Thanksgiving... I just thought the nurse throwing a hissy was ridiculous.

Thoughts?

Throwing stuff? Woooow doggie!

I'd be dag gum if I woulda given in to that little manipulator!

If I was the nurse manager and she had caught me on the wrong day I would have written her up and marched her down to HR for a quick unit reassignment or FIRING!

A 2 and 3 year old could care less is Santa came at 7am or 7pm. Maybe her little ones are super gifted and can read a calendar, tell time, invented some Santa-detection gizmo and have an atomic clock/hotline to the North Pole that tells them the EXACT arrival time of "THE BIG DUDE IN RED" to their door!!

OK, as a mother of an 8,6 and 4 year old, I would just like to say I can't stand the "but I have little kids" tantrum. I would never be so obnoxious as to think someone without children does not deserve to enjoy the holiday as much as I do.

What we have done in the past when we have needed to work Christmas (my husband works holidays, too) is write a letter to Santa Claus explaining that mommy or daddy has to work on Christmas, and could he please come to our house the morning before Christmas. (We don't say after because we wouldn't want to make them wait that long!) Santa has always managed to come on whatever day we needed him to and we never lost out on a great time! (One time Santa even came on Christmas eve afternoon while we were out!

OMG! That is great!!!!!! My kids are spread out (13, 8, 4, 2) and if I ever have to work Christmas that will be what I use for the little ones (the big ones can suck it up)!!!! I agree with Tazzi. You get Mommy of the Year!!!!

Shame on that nurse manager for caving to such an infantile tactic. She's now reinforced that if you want something, all you have to do is pitch a big fit and you'll get it.

I hope this woman's co-workers all refuse to accommodate her in the future She deserves no consideration, since she showed none. The "But I have little kids" rant is ridiculous. You chose to have kids, you chose to be a nurse. Deal with it...it's your responsibility to make it work not your manager's or your co-workers'.